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A cheerful heart makes good medicine, But a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Verse Takeaways
1
Your Spirit Affects Your Body
Commentators emphasize the direct link between our inner state and physical health. A cheerful heart is not just like medicine; scholars like Albert Barnes and Charles Ellicott note the Hebrew suggests it actively 'works a good healing' or 'makes good a recovery.' Conversely, a broken spirit can have a detrimental physical effect, metaphorically 'drying up the bones.'
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4
18th Century
Presbyterian
Does good like a medicine - Better, works a good healing. Omit “like.”
19th Century
Anglican
A merry heart does good like a medicine. —Or rather, Makes good a recovery. (For the duty of religious gladness,…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
A merry heart does good [like] a medicine Does the body good, makes it healthful and vigorous. Cheerfulness of spiri…
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It is great mercy that God permits us to be cheerful, and cause to be cheerful, if by his grace he gives us hearts to be cheerful.
